A Christmas Dinner past at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church. Last year, 750 and 100 volunteers were served at the annual Christmas Dinner for Those Alone.

The 32nd annual Christmas Dinner for Those Alone will again be served on Christmas Day in the Atrium and Fellowship Hall at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church at Cherry Street and Hammons Parkway in Springfield.

There is no charge for the dinner. Reservations may be phoned in to 885-9620.

"Thirty-one years of serving people a free dinner on Christmas Day has become one of the loveliest traditions of our church," said First and Calvary Senior Pastor Andrew Chaney. "Once someone walks inside the doors of the church, they have a feeling of being home. They are welcomed as family. After the meal there is a place to relax and share Christmas greetings. We want the church to truly be God's house, a place that welcomes everyone with kindness, love, and abundant joy."

First and Calvary began this event in 1981 when a medical doctor and member of the church, the late F. T. H'Doubler Jr., remarked that during the holiday season all of the TV specials are centered around family. But if your family isn't here you could become depressed. The doctor suggested that the church should have a big Christmas dinner, with all the trimmings, music and fellowship with no strings attached and free of charge. The basic premise of the dinner has remained unchanged for 32 years. Last year a record number of 750 guests and over 100 volunteers were served.

Cooking begins Dec. 23. Church members serve as cooks, hosts, servers and the clean-up crew. Chairman for the dinner again this year is Jon Lorenzino. Chef James Clary is in charge of the kitchen.

Professional Answering service will again donate the phone reservations line as they have done since the beginning. This dinner is a major event sponsored by the church's Mission Committee. The dinner is open to anyone who will not be with family this Christmas. It is festive, the food is really good and plentiful, and those who have attended in the past have remarked that it has brought joy to their lives during the holiday season.

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Want to be part of one of area's longest-running Christmas Day traditions? Make a reservation!

The 32nd annual Christmas Dinner for Those Alone will again be served on Christmas Day in the Atrium and Fellowship Hall at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church at Cherry Street and Hammons Parkway